Rabat – Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, called on Belgian businesses to seize the investment opportunities available in Morocco’s southern provinces in Western Sahara.
He made the remarks during a joint press conference with Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot on Thursday in Brussels, where Belgium officially expressed its support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan and recognized Western Sahara within the framework of Morocco’s sovereignty and national unity.
Bourita stated that King Mohammed VI’s vision aims to make the Sahara region a hub for development and cooperation, noting its strategic role in connecting Morocco with the rest of Africa.
The Moroccan foreign minister noted that several key international partners, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the United States, already view Morocco’s southern provinces as promising destinations for investment.
He recalled that Washington has openly encouraged investments in the Western Sahara region, while France recently hosted the France-Morocco Economic Forum in Dakhla.
Bourita recalled that Belgium currently ranks 13th among Morocco’s trade partners and 17th among investors, a strong position that could be further strengthened through deeper private sector engagement. He said the upcoming visit of a Belgian government delegation to Morocco, accompanied by business leaders and investors, would help boost bilateral economic cooperation.
The southern provinces of Morocco can serve as a gateway for Belgium to strengthen its trade relations with West and Central Africa, Bourita said. He also pointed to promising areas of cooperation with Belgium, particularly in renewable energy, infrastructure, industry, and green hydrogen.
New-found position
Bourita and his Belgian counterpart Maxime Prévot signed a joint declaration confirming Belgium’s intention to act “from now on, on diplomatic and economic levels”, in line with their newfound position on Western Sahara.
While Belgium had previously described Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as a “serious and credible” solution, this new declaration marks a significant step forward, as it offers more explicit and direct support for Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Belgium’s statement acknowledges the “existential importance of the Sahara issue” for Morocco and considers the Autonomy Plan as the “most appropriate, serious, credible, and realistic basis” for achieving a political solution.
Bourita welcomed this stance, describing it as a “clear recognition of the realism and legitimacy of the vision led by His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the final settlement of this regional dispute.”
Belgium now joins over 120 countries that support Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces, including major global powers such as France and the United States.
Earlier this week, Poland also announced its official support for the Autonomy Plan, calling it a “serious, realistic, and pragmatic basis” for a lasting resolution.
The wave of international backing comes as the United Nations continues its efforts to find a lasting solution to the decades-long Western Sahara dispute. The UN Security Council is expected to vote later this month on a new resolution to renew the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
With growing international consensus around the Autonomy Plan, Morocco’s diplomatic position on the Sahara continues to gain strength, while pressure mounts on Algeria to engage constructively in the UN-led peace process.
